newsitems

The European interest for this result is doubly Obvious, both because Sarkozy had notoriously succeeded, after 2007,  to save at least the essentials of the latest EU Reform which created New Institutions and strengthen EU Parliament's as well as EU Citizens' Rights, by bypassing the famous 3 "No" to EuroReferenda in France, the Netherlands and Ireland against a Draft EU Constitution, notoriously motivated mainly by the Refusal of a Majority of People to accept Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, that he promissed to Stop, while adopting, in exchange, a Simplified version of EU's Institutional Reform through the current "Lisbon Treaty" (which was signed on 2007 and entered into force from December 2009), and because of the still on-going, astonishing, quasi-General Trend, throughout many European Countries, towards a more or less growing Spread of various forms of Political Ideologies, Politicians, and/or Local/Regional or even National and sometimes EU-wide Political Parties which, taken all together, obviously express a Popular demand for a stronger EU Identity from the poiints of view of Culture, Civilisation, History and GeoPolitical Borders, a notorious refusal to accept that USA and/or some Bureaucrats impose to EU Citizens Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, a thirst for Less Bureaucracy but more Political Democracy in European Institutions closer to the People and less dominated by Technocrats, as well as a greater Respect for elementary, "classic" Moral Values, such as Familly, Children and Elders, decent Work, more Honest Media, against Corruption, etc, (i.e. a recent phenomenon which can be observed, mutatis-mutandis, partly also in some new American grassroots movements, etc).

Facts prove that the only Big Differences in the 2012 French Parliamentary Election, (the only one since 2007, in which Sarkozy was absent),  are that much more People than ever, either Abstained or voted for the Rightists :

- Abstention reached, indeed, an Historc Record High, never seen before in the 54 Years-long "5th Republic" in France (1958 - 2012  : i.e. during more than Half a Century !), of about 43 % of the Electorate officially registered, (which was, this time, even notoriourly Less than in the Past, since many Hundreds of Thousands, perhaps more than a Million of Citizens hadn't even asked now to be registered in the Electoral Offices of their Residence, as it had been revealed by the French Press earlier). To put it in a nutshell, almost 1 out of 2 Citizens didn't even bother to Vote this time, (and all this might even have reached an Absolute Majority of Non-Voters, if  one counts also the "Spoilt" or "Null" votes casted) : Something absolutely Opposite to French People's Historic habits..
 

On the contrary, Sarkozy had notoriously succeeded, back on 2007 Presidential Elections, to attract to the Electoral game much more Voters than ever in the History of France's Vth Republic (1958 - 2012), marking a Record High popular Participation, (naturally more Healthy for Democratic principles)..

+ Most important : In 2012, the more or less renovated Rightist party FN, now led by MEP Ms Marine Le Pen, scores Nationwide an almost 14 % High, (instead of only roughly ...4 % back on 2007), becoming unquestionably France's 3rd Biggest Political Movement, and can, now, influence the Final Results :

Because, throughout all France, in 2012, FN can maintain its Candidates in 61 areas, instead of only 1 (one) back on 2007, i.e. a Multiplication of more than X 600 % !

What will happen in all those 61 Constituencies became, thus, a Critical issue, because it might make the Difference by determining, at next week's 2nd Round, whether Hollande will have a Majority in the Parliament, or not, and of what kind : Absolute or Relative, i.e. depending on the small "Green" Party and/or Melenchon's Leftists/Communists including the Extreme Left, or not).

This could have a manifold Impact in the rest of Europe, and even in the World, since Hollande's "Socialists" have reportedly declared their intention to adopt also some Highly Controversial Measures, such as rejection of the "Golden Rule" in €uroArea's New Treaty, decided and signed in Brussels' EU Summit by 25 States on December 2011 and March 2012 respectively,   relaunch of Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, cutting off completely any remaining link between the State and Christian Religion by adopting an even "heavier" version of "Laicity" for a totaly "Secular" State, "Gay Marriage" (apparently including even Childrens' "adoption" by Homosexual couples), Non-European Foreigners' rights to Vote, Free Genetic Manipulations on Hyman Embryos in principle, Unilateral Withdrawal from Afghanistan 1,5 year earlier (i.e. from Summer 2012, instead of January 2014)  than what was, on the contrary, collectively agreed by the International Coalition on 2010, (etc).

In many key areas at the "European Capital" of Strasbourg City and its surrounding Region Alsace, the Far Right multiplies its votes  ...3 Times more in 2012, compared to its 2007 results, which are now growing X 300 % !

 

Even inside Strasbourg's privileged HyperCenter, where Rightists had, back on 2007, only a meager 3%, on the contrary, now, FN jumps up to nearly 10 % on 2012, becoming one among the 3 Bigest Parties ! In Strasbourg's outskirts, out-going MP Maurer (who was among a Minority who signed, under Turkish lobby's heavy and noisy Pressure, a controversial petition to Block, pretexting Legal technicalities, a Law against the Turkish Negationism of the Armenian Genocide, despite its Democratic adoption, after many Public Debates, by an overwhelming Majority from almost All Parties, both in the Parliament and in the Senate), looses more than - 4%, falling from 38% Down to only 34%, and was apparently "punished" even harder by French Citizens voting now to boost Rightists from just 4% almost up to a ..12,5 %, High, from 2007 to 2012, i.e. around the critical Threshhold needed in order to be able to participate also in the 2nd Round of the Election, next Sunday. Various other small Rightists (+ 3 : more than ever) complete this unprecedented picture.. However, it's also true that even CoE's MEP André Schneider, another Strasbourg outskirts' outgoing MP, (who did not obey to the Turkish Negationist lobby's Pressure, refusing to sign that controversial Petition against the Democratically adopted Law punishing active Negatonism of the Armenian Genocide  : Comp. supra), with roughly more than 38 % of votes in 2012, faces a Hard Challence by "Socialist/Greens"' candidate Buchmann, while Rightists also jumped up from 5 % to more than 13%, between 2007 and 2012, becoming there also the 3rd Bigest Party. Nevertheless, Schneider could, at least, easily attract a clear Majority of Voters next Sunday, if a deal succeeds to unite there all Parties at the Right side of the Political Spectrum : from the Center-Right with 4%, and his UMP with + 38,4%, together with Rightists of + 13 %, as well as two Small "Various Right" candidates scoring 2%, i.e. having a Potential 57 to 58 % for a crystal-clear Absolute Majority at the Right.

But, f.ex. Antoine Herth, Strasbourg region's out-going MP who had clearly expressed his Opposal to Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid since 2009, succeeds to win, even in 2012, almost an Absolute Majority from the 1st Round with more than 49 %, and, opposed to a "Green" with less than the Half of his votes : 22%,  should certainly be re-elected next Sunday, even without the Rightists of the NF (who score, however, almost 20%).

Similarly, in the overall Strasbourg's Region Alsace's results, an area where Sarkozy has made one of his Best scores in France, both back on 2007 and earlier this year on 2012, it's one of the few territories in the whole Country where, generally speaking, and in average, ChristianDemocrats/EPP's UMP party and its allies' Votes stay among the Best, limiting also "Triangular" duels challenged by both Socialists and ChristianDemocrats with the participation also of a Rightist (NF) candidate, will apparently be limited to only 1 or 2, f.ex. in the far away Mulhouse outskirts (facing Switzerland's Bale near Germany's Bavaria), while at another constituency near Strasbourg, it will in fact be a duel between another  "Various Right" candidate and ours, who is rather well placed, the Strasbourg Region Alsace's leader of the out-going Majority French Party UMP, and Alsace Region's 1st vice-President (for 2010-2014) Andre Reichardt told "EuroFora".

On the contrary, the Center of Bayrou (MODEM/CEN party), a former Minister of Center-Right Governments, who had been strongly criticized for exceptionally calling at the last minute to vote against Sarkozy on May's Presidential Election (which was decided by a Tiny Difference of Less than 1,2% displaced votes), and or unexpectedly conceding in 2012 to Turkish lobby's Pressure to oppose the Law against Negationism of Armenian a.o. Genocides, despite his Opposal to Turkey's EU which had made him famous back on 2007), was, for the 1st time in History, completely Wiped out by the French People, who droped Bayrou himself far behind, only 3rd in his own constituency, and threw his Party down to only roughly over .. one (1%) per cent Nationwide, (threatened even not to be reimbursed for its Expenditure) !

Thus, in 2012, unlike back on 2007, the Majority of French Voters, clearly leaning towads the Right side of the Political Spectrum, could win its unquestionable Democratic Right to forge a Government, in practice, only through a kind of Agreement or Deal between the out-going UMP Party and the Rightists of the partly renovated FN party.

Overall, detailed Statistical Data show, indeed, that if everything is counted, the Total of Votes for the Right side of the political spectrum rises up to more than 52 %, against only slightly less than 48% for the total of the Left. I.e. a cystal-clear aspiration of a strong Absolute Majority of French People for a Government of the "Right", (which confirms the Results among Voters also of the recent Presidential Election, which should have been normally won by Sarkozy, if there he had been let free to stick to his 2007 and 2009 winning Political Strategy, against Sosialists' attempts to Divide the Voters of the Right : See : relevat "EuroFora"s NewsReport : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/frenchandgreekelections.html )

This 52% - 48% overall Electoral Result in favor of the Right against the Left sides of the political spectrum in France, clearly appears, according to the Final Results, whenever one counts, as usual, together the ChristianDemocrats/EPP of UMP-Various Right-New Center : about 33,5%, Rightists of the National Front : almost 14%, the Radical party which had backed Sarkozy : 1,3%, Bayrou's Center-Right CEN/MODEM : 1,7%, the new Centrist Alliance which didn't like Bayrou's negative stance against Sarkozy : 0,6%,  the Regionalists usually considered as Various Right : 0,56%, and the Extreme Right : 0,2%, from one side, against the Socialists-Various Left-Radicals of the Left : some 33,4%, followed by the Greens : 5,4%, the Leftists of the Front of the Left (whose leader, Melenchon, has just lost a duel won by National Front's Marine Le Pen in the same constituency) : 6,9%, as well as the Extreme Left : 0,98, from the other side, (even if we don't count the 0,9% of Independent Ecologists opposed to the "Greens" deal with the Socialists, that they opposed, possibly preferring the Center-Right).

But, the 2012 Vote clearly shows, also, that if this Majority of the Right is Divided mainly  between the ChstianDemocrats/EPP of the UMP and their closest allies, for one part, and the Rightists of the partly renovated National Front (FN) of MEP Marine Le Pen, for another part, (as former Socialist President Mitterand had notoriously provoked with various Electoral and Mass Media manouvers, precisely in order to Weaken the French Right, since the 1980ies, with Marine's father, Jean-Marie Le Pen and other members of the initial version of the NF), while, on the contrary, the Socialists of the PS and his closest allies, would persist to freely use the Votes of both the Leftists (Melenchon's "Front of the Lef", including the Communist party, etc), and even the Extreme Left, then, it's obvious that the above mentioned, overall Political Will, Democratically expressed by a crystal-clear Absolute Majority by the People of France, will be hindered, practicaly droped to a waste-basket, and Dangerously Frustrated.

Sarkozy had notoriously succeeded, back on 2007 and 2009, Presidential, Parliamentary and EU Parliament's Elections, to practically attract towards Mainstream Politics, a wide Majority of both Centrist, ChristianDemocrat/EPP and Rightist Voters, Uniting them together, thanks to a coherent set of Political and Moral Ideas, carefuly adjusted to some innovative RealPolitics, (Comp. f.ex. certain interesting associations that he used to establish between Human Rights and Economic Interests, and/or between EU Integration and the Popular struggle against Bureaucracy, between Moral Values and High Tech. Innovation,  between the refusal of Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid and a polite and correct way to strive to keep friendly relations even introducing and upgrading Ankara at the Mediterranean and/or G20 level, etc). But, without his politically active presence, on the contrary, the 2012 Parliamentary Elections, which threaten to drop the will of the Majority of French People if an old Division of the Right persists even now, on 2012, as back during the 1980ies, obviously risk to raise  unavoidable Questions on the proper functioning of Democratic Principles...

+ A fortiori now, when even the former "Socialist" Candidate Hollande, has just entered into the Elysee Presidential Palace without having at all reached a Majority of Voters, being, on the contrary, alone in all the History of France's 5th Republic (1958-2012 : i.e. during more than Half a Century !) to have only a .. Minority of Votes casted, since, for the 1st time ever, about 6% of the Votes casted were  "Spoilt" or "Null", while about 46% of the Voters chose Sarkozy, leaving for Hollande only some 48% among the overall Votes, i.e. a Minority of just 48% against a Majority of about 52% of Voters who prefered Sarkozy or another candidate...

Hollande's comparatively more "Fragile" position, compared to all other, previous French Presidents, from the Politicaly important point of view of Democratic "Legitimacy", given also his unique "Minority" characteristic, among French Voters' preferences (See Facts cited Supra), came at the focus recently when a MP from the out-going Majority, the Mayor of the Historic city of Aix-en-Provence, Mrs Maryse Joissains, an experienced, long-time Lawyer, reportedly went as far as to immediately deny his "Legitimity" expressis verbis in Public, and even lodged an official Application to the Constitutional Court asking to  ... cancel the 2012 Presidential Election, citing Legal and other issues related to alleged "Over-Spending" Money during Hollande's long electoral campaign, to a grossly unfair, "abusive"  and anti-deontologic treatment of Sarkozy from most Mass Media (generally believed to have special relations with the "Socialists" since Mitterand's long era), which might have misled at least a part of the voters, but also for suspected complicity to the violation of French Laws which ask from Trade Unions and/or other Professional Unions' Leadership to not interfere directly in Political fights, keeping at least the appearance of Political Neutrality.

At least some among all these reasons may have probably motivated an overwhelming Wide Majority of Two Thirds (2/3) of UMP's voters, who reportedly want, now, to broker at least "Local Deals", together with the Rightists of the partly renovated "National Front", in order to Win against the "Socialists" and their Leftist allies of the "Front of the Left" (which includes also the Communist Party), as many French Media have just revealed.

But the current UMP's Secretary General, Copé, reportedly, appeared enclined to stick to the old, traditional Refusal of any National Agreement between the Center-Right and the Rightists, despite the obvious risk to give, thus, an Artificial Pseudo-"Majority" to the "Socialists", backed by their Leftist allies, by automatically maintaining and even aggravating an old Division of the Right, i.e. unavoidably frustrating a dangerously large number of voting Citizens, that Sarkozy had, at least, succeeded to largely unite through certain Popular, but also RealPolitical Ideas, bringing them into mainstream French and even European Politics, (comp. Supra)...

However, meanwhile, partly renovated Rightists' NF leader, MEP Marine le Pen, has just anounced her intention to maintain all her 61 candidates who got more than + 12,5% votes, also on the 2nd Round, unless a deal is made with UMP politicians, (calling all her Voters, throughout all constituencies of the Country, to drop hostile UMP candidates, but to support those who agree to deal. 

Significantly, Sarkozy's last Public TV appearance in the May 2012 Presidential Election campain raised the Topical Question - "Can we ignore all these People : some 6,5 Millions obliged to vote for the Far Right ? (18% in the PR. Vote). Can we merely treat them as "under" Citizens, or "2nd Class Citizens ?", he wondered, before being interrupted by a hasty TV presentator.

The consequences obviously risk to be seriously felt even vis a vis EU policies, both immediately and in a longer run, (See f.e. concrete issues already cited above).

Unless something happens, in one way or another, totally or partly, between now and next Sunday.

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- Replying to "EuroFora"' Questiions at the conclusion of a landmark PanEuropean/International Confernce on CyberCrime, exceptionaly well attended by many Officials and Experts thoughout all Europe but also from many other areas of the World (f.ex. USA, Japan, Canada,  India, Africa, Australia, Brazil, etc),  CoE's experienced Head of Private Data Protection and CyberCrime at the CoE, the PanEuropean watchdog on Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, Alexander Seger from Austria, carefully but positively welcomed in principle the possibility of consulting Civil Society Organizations, involved Citizens and other active Internet Players, in addition to the Industry, by giving them a say before Draft Rules on the Web might be definitively adopted by the CoE in the forthcoming period :

A topical issue with important issues at stake, from Citizens' Rights and Freedoms, up to States' Security and Sovereignity, Economy's production/innovation, including also the need to Protect all of them, i.e. "more than 2,3 Billions People using the Internet", in addition to "Mobile Phones", etc., from risks of Cyber Attacks, such as "Spyware and other Malware found  harboured in more than 2.000 Websites every Day", and "about 2 Million Computers infected by Malware every day", in addition to various kinds of "Fraud", "Children Sex Abuse", or other "Attacks against Computer Systems" and/or "Offenses using Computers", "reported all over the World", as COE's Secretary General Thronbjorn Jagland from Norway, observed from the outset.

Particularly when, since the G8 Heads of State/Government Summit at Deauville (France) on May 2011, which launched a Global move on "Internet Governance",  (See "EuroFora"s NewsReports from Deauville and Paris), followed by the adoption in Strasbourg of CoE's "2012-2015 Strategy on Internet", last March 2012, currently, both the EU and even more the CoE, are engaged in the preparation of a Series of various New Measures, Rules, Guidelines, Directives, Conferences, reviews, updates, etc. affecting the Web, which are due to pop up soon, starting from the forthcoming Months, f.ex. September and October, as well as December 2012, etc...

- Concerning the Adoption of relevant National Measures and/or the Ratification of the Budapest Convention by various Countries, which might eventually evolve further, f.ex. on TransBorder Data Access issues, etc., (See other, specific "EuroFora" NewsReport, with statements that gave us Russian, American, EU and CoE Top Officials, to be published herewith asap.), "EuroFora" observed that, several times, Officials and/or Experts from various Countries to CoE's 2012 International Conference on CyberCrime, said that they had faced Difficulties with the Public Opinion, when important Draft Laws on the Internet were presented at Parliaments and other Public Decision-making bodies, particularly if they were not well understood, f.ex. in Canada, India, or some EU Countries, at least on certain key points, so that they had to try again and again, meanwhile amending their Drafts, until developments made it possible to, more or less, adopt them.

    By a coincidence, recently, CoE's brand new "Internet Strategy", (decided on March 2012 under British chairmanship : Comp. "EuroFora"s NewsReports on Foreign Minister Hague 's earlier statements in Strasbourg http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/hagueoncoeukpriorities.html and Home Office Minister Brokenshire's replies to our Questions on Internet Governance : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/coeinternetstrategy.html ), prepared after G8 Heads of State/Government's Summit at Deauville (France, May 2011) started to deal with Internet Governance, (Comp. "EuroFora"s relevant NewsReports on that landmark G8 Summit from Paris and Deauville), setting a General Principle on all Internet-related issues, i.e. not only CyberCrime/Data Protection, urges to try to involve Citizens and Civil Society in the Drafting process of relevant Public Decisions, we also noted.

=> In consequence, "Do you think that, despite the Difficulties on the sensitive matter of CyberCrime, it could be possible and interesting, in order to have the Trust of the People, (who are directly concerned, both because they need themselves Protection from Cyber-Attacks and/or Fraud, but also in order to ensure that Human Rights and Freedom at the Internet will be respected), to associate, in the Future, in an efficient and adequate way, at least some Human Rights and Civil Society Organizations and/or other People active on Internet issues, so that it could become possible to hold better Discussions on thorny issues before Final Decisions, giving a better chance to timely find proper Solutions, instead of risking to face Blockades afterwards, so that things can go ahead ?", "EuroFora" asked Seger.

 
- Sometimes, CoE and/or other Organizations have been criticized for "being Open but Late", concerning Public Consultations, observed from the outset CoE's Head on CyberCrime and Data Protection issues, who is also the Secretary of the PanEuropean/Global Treaty against CyberCrime, known as "Budapest Convention".

- We (CoE) have already tried to consult such Civil Society Organizations, particularly on Data Protection issues, and there were some of them present here in Strasbourg even during this 2012 CyberCrime International Conference, which made, sometimes, pretty Critical interventions, Seger pointed out.

 - "I am personally convinced" that if CoE's Data Protection Treaty's currently prepared Modenization goes ahead, eventually also with some changes in the CyberCrime Convention, then, we'll have to include Public Consultations, he positively replied.

- If yesterday we worked in one Workshop on a TransBorder Data Access thorny issue, (where a Compromise has yet to be found between the respect of independent States' Sovereignity and the need for Law Enforcing Agencies to fight CyberCrime by searching relevant Data accross Borders : See specific "EuroFora"s NewsReport, with Statements that gave us the Head  of Russian Foreign Ministry's Department on  New Challenges Ernst Chernukhin, "Microsoft"'s Chief Security Advisor for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Monica Josi/USA, CoE's Director on Legal/Human Rights standards Jan Kleisjen, etc),
behind Closed Doors for the Press, and under "Chatam House" rules, (which prohibit participants from revealing what really happened inside the Room), it was because we (COE) wanted to give to the concerned Governments a chance to say what they really wanted, share their concerns and discuss them between them, at first, he revealed.
>>But, "once this is done", afterwards, we (CoE) can also involve not only Industry, but also various other Civil Society Organizations, CoE's key official agreed in conclusion with "EuroFora"s suggestion.

The point is of exceptional importance today, because, after the G8 Deaville Summit (May 2011), and during the subsequent Brittish CoE Chairmanship (November 2011 - May 2012), the CoE has recently started to prepare a lot of Draft Rules, updates, additions, modifications and/or new measures on the Internet, as well as to work harder for an adequate and efficient Implementation of rules already adopted earlier, (including, f.ex. by urging Private Internet Access providers to offer more cooperation, particularly on Data, with CyberCrime-fighting National Authorities, etc).

- Thus, among various other concrete examples, CoE is currently engaged in an important Review of its landmark; Histioric PanEuropean/International Convention on Private Data Protection, which reportedly needs a "Modernization" and to be updated, 30 Years after its initial adoption, while, in parallel, a previous CoE Recommendation on Pivate Data use by the Police in the struggle against CyberCrime, which is due to be presented from September 2012, he added.

+ Meanwhile, there is also an important "Cyber-Space" European Conference to be held on October in Budapest (Hungary), including both Safety and Security but also Technologic Developments, Economy and Politcs, (a follow-up to the 1st such Mega-meeting in London, on 2011, due to be extended on 2013 in South Korea : See Ambassador Bela Szombati, Head of Cyberspace Conference at Hungary's Foreign Ministry statements to "EuroFora", to be published at anothet NewStory asap), while Rome (Italy) also hosts soon another Conference on Digital Society issues, (in addition to EU's "Digital E-Dialogue", in the run up to a future EU Directive on the Internet, currently examined by EU Parliament) etc., which, added to EU and CoE possible Public Consultations on-line, Hearings, etc. could provide more opportunities for Civil Society actors involved in Internet issues to have a say.

Something obviously  necessary regarding, in particular,  "Measures against CyberCrime (which) go hand in hand with the protection of Human Rights and the rule of Law", as reminded CoE's experienced Deputy Secretary General, Maud de Boer-Buquichio, speaking on the 2012 CyberCrime Conference's conclusions.

++ In addition, questioned earlier by "EuroFora" on a partly related, and Topical issue, concerning the developments about the progressively growing participation  of the so-called "Pirate Parties", notoriously spreading from Scandinavian Countries (initially Sweden) towards Germany (where they got some 5% or even 7 to 8% in recent Regional Elections at Berlin, North Reinland-Westfalia (NRW) in 2011 and 2012, etc, after winning even 2 EU Parliament seats since 2009, currently starting to emerge even in French Parliamentary Elections with more than 100 Candidates, while focusing on the preparation of the forthcoming, 2014 EU Parliament new Elections, Seger had an interesting reaction :

- While clearly distinguishing between CyberCrime related issues, such as eventually blatant CopyRight violations; etc., and Freecom of Access to the Internet,  Cittizens private Data protection, as well as new, innovative ways to develop Internet tools for E-Democracy, etc., CoE's experienced Official  replied to "EuroFora"s question by stressing mainly that, as a matter of general principle, any serious Public Debate on topical  Internet issues in the framework of Democratic Institutions is welcome as part of contemporary Democracy.

+ By another coincidence, at a subsequent meeting organized in the context of CoE's Forum for Democracy, and chaired by experienced former Minister  and Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Poland to the CoE, now Top PanEuropean oficial, Piotr Switalski, he anounced an apparently interesting gathering focused for the 1st time on "Liquid Democracy", at the CoE for the beginning of July, (hopefully not during an overloaded day of EU Parliament's plenary session of 2 to 5 July 2012 iN Strasbourg, as he added to "EuroFora")  :

A term also known for a famous, innovative Software proposed for various innovative uses of the Internet in some kinds of Direct E-Democracy by recent advocates, including by the controversial PP,....

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- The necessary Fight for Human Rights at the Internet, particularly in order to protect Journalists' only free space in case of oppression, but also for other Democratic Freedoms and Rights (such as, f.ex., for Association, Demonstration, Private Life, Personal Data, Access to Information, etc) needs a Prospective view on still on-going and Future developments, in an area of crucial importance, specially for Young Generations, who don't practically use Traditional Media, but mostly New, Web Media, replied in substance to "EuroFora"s questions, CoE's new Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muiznieks, former Minister, who has just started his 6 Years new Mandate (2012-2018) after his recent Election among 3 candidates by CoE's Parliamentary Assembly on January 2012,  (See also other NewsReports on 2 more Differend issues on which "EuroFora" also raised  Questions to Muiznieks),

- "EuroFora"  observed that, "concerning New Questions on Human Rights raised by the Internet, particularly as far as it concerns Freedom of Expression, while on 1995, f.ex.",  (when ECHR started to publish for the 1st time in History more than  500 Judgements per Year), "practically Nobody spoke about the Internet in Europe", (despite the fact that "EuroFora"s co-Founder had already Published, in 1995, a 1st set of EU/CoE News from Strasbourg at a Pioneer Website, Testbed of a "Europe in the World" project, later presented to EU Commission, in a Collective bid, officially accepted for examination in the framework of an EU Program on Funding Innovative Social uses of Modern Information and Communication Technologies : ESPRIT, on 1997), "on the contrary, now it evolves so Fast, that adopting a Prospective view pointing also at the Future, has become necessary".

- But, "to over-Simplify things, ....don't you think that this Challenge could also offer an opportunity, or even makes it necessary, to focus on Fundamental issues of Freedom of Expression, i.e. on the famous article 10 of the ECHR , instead of Bureaucratic or Formal aspects, as well as on the Deontology of Journalism, on which various Texts already exist, both on Europe and in the USA etc., both in the Past and during recent years, their main points being more or less similar in substance ?", "EuroFora" asked briefly CoE's new Commissioner on Human Rights.
---------------------------------

Muiznieks, who has recently expressed the view that "Media Self-Regulation", through "a Code of Ethics", "would Protect individuals or groups .. from unacceptable Abuse" and "prevent State Regulation", approaching a principle dear to "EuroFora" on even identifying Journalism as an ECHR's Article 10 activity (i.e. seeking, generating and publishing original News on issues which affect the People and matter for Society), produced according to Press Deontology methods (Comp. : http://www.eurofora.net/brief/brief/webmedia.html + http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/digitalpress.html), spoke to "EuroFora" during a meeting with Journalists organized by Strasbourg's Press Club.

 - "I absolutely agree that we must stress Freedom of Expression in the domain of New Media (at the Internet), that's logical",  CoE's new Commissioner for Human Rights positively replied to "EuroFora"s Question.

- "But what we observe today, is that Freedom of Expression in the Social Networks, (f.ex. Internet Forums, Facebook, Twitter, etc), is very very much really Linked also to Other Freedoms : F.ex. Freedom of Association, of Demonstration, etc., as well as to Participation in Politics, compared to other (Traditional) Media", he noted from the outset.- F.ex., "we see that in Teheran, in Moldova, in Russia, etc", he found. 

+  "I think that in Countries" (and/or during periods of Time) "where there are big Problems on Freedom of Expression", (as, f.ex. notoriously in the case also of Turkey, according to Facts revealed in both EU Commission's and EU Parliament's Reports, as well as in CoE's ECHR Statistics), "that's the only Area which remains still Free for Journalists", he rightfully pointed out.

A well known situation, particularly when the Control of Traditional Media is taken over and Monopolized by a few Ruthless  Lackeys of Oppressive and/or Corrupted Regimes, ("Chiens de garde", according to the famous Book of Historic French Writer Nisand)..

+ Moreover, today, "I have 2 Children : Aged 13 and 15 Years. They don't watch TV, they don't read Newspapers, they don't listen to Radios, but they are both, all the Time, at the (Internet's) Social Networks !", the new PanEuropean Commissioner on Human Rights acknowledged.

=> "In consequence, we have to work with that Young Generation of People, because if we, as Defensors of Human Rights, we are not present there, then, it would practically mean that we'd abandon all that space to the Ennemies of Human Rights !" Muiznieks warned.

- "Thus, we must be there. We must use these New Technologies in order to promote Education and Training on Human Rights, Democratic Values, as well as in order to Fight against Ennemies of Human Rights", he strongly urged.

+ "But also in order to defend even Other Human Rights, not only Freedom of Speech", he reminded, (Comp. Supra).

>>> "So, I believe that here is a Huge Area for work there, and it's of an Essential Importance for us to Be (present and active) there", i.e. at Internet's New Media and Social Networks, (such as Discussion  Forums, Facebook, Twitter, etc),.

+ "We must also try to understand how all this is going to be developed in the Future, and take care for our Standards and Methods of Work to be adequately adapted", instead of staying too far away from such new developments in the New Media at  the Internet, concluded in reply to "EuroFora"s question CoE's new Human Rights' Commissioner for 2012-2018.

- Because "nobody knows, today, what the situation will be 6 Years later", observed earlier Muiznieks, who had declared from the outset his intention to "make of Journalists' protection a Prority", during his "6 Years Mandate" (2012-2018), "particularly in the Social Networks and the New Media" recently developed "by the New Technologies" via the Internet, where the "protection  of Private Life" and personal data, etc., are also among a series of new issues of growing importance, as he observed.                           

Speaking later to "EuroFora", Muiznieks noted, smiling, also the current rise of "Pirates" political parties' revendications at the Internet, throughout Europe, from Sweden to Germany and other EU Countries, as well as in EU Parliament, which also raise various other concrete issues, (Comp.  f.ex.,  "Pirate Bay" website's controversial claims, including vis a vis Human Rights).

On all these prospective matters, a possible EU - CoE cooperation, according to Muiznieks' overall strategy, could be f.ex. for EU's brand new Wienna Agency on Rights, to make a Prospective Study on Internet's New Media's trends and Human Rights/Democratic Freedoms' issues which already are and/or might be raised in the foreseeable Future, while most of the systematic and comprehensive Monitoring work on the spot (including, f.ex. by Visits, etc) would be carried out by the office of CoE's Human Rights' Commissioner, (See other relevant "EuroFora"'s NewsReports, herewith).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- A call for a "Frank Debate" throughout Europe on the best Proposals for EU Growth, as a way "to avoid a Clash", as she made it clear afterwards to "EuroFora", while also adding a voice for Political Integration in Europe, able to foster a Popular and specific Identity in front of a gallopîng Globalization, was launched by the experienced former CoE"s Secretary General, f. EU affairs Minister and MEP, currently President of "European Homes" network, French professor in Law, Catherine Lalumiere (Socialist), who was timely the keynote speaker at a Conference organized in EU Parliament by the French and German Universities of Strasbourg and Karlsruhe/Speyer together with the prestigious ENA School for the Highest standing Officials in Public Governance, just a few Hours before a crucial EU Summit starts in Brussels to discuss various Strategies and Measures for an acceleration of Economic Growth, much needed in most EU Countries.

In the Past, "the content of Economic and Financial Policies" in EU Member States "were Tabou", before the recent Global Crisis "revealed Errors and their Causes", noted Lalymière, speaking almost 1 Year after Sarkozy and Merkel decided, since August 16, 2011  Franco-German Summit, to start building a Top Political Economic Governance for €uroArea and/or other EU Countries wiling to join at Heads of State/Government level, (See "EuroFora"s NewsReport from the Elysée Palace in Paris).

- But "Now, at last, a Debate was opened recently, on the occasion of the (2012 French Presidential) Elections", (i.e. since the Socialist Candidate Francois Hollande steped in the game with the declared aim to push also for various other Measures, even beyond the existing Franco-German agreements), "both in France and elsewhere, and, step by step, this Debate extends throughout all Europe", Lalumière pointed out.

=> So, "I hope that , progressively, these Debates will be opened and put at the Table" of EU Negotiations, after years of No Political Debate on such issues, not even inside EU Parliament, the experienced former Socialist MEP and EU affairs Minister urged.
 
- Because "I am convinced that such Political Debates were lacking for a too long time inside the EU, including at EU Parliament", she claimed, stressing the view that "it was since a long Time ago that such Questions should have been Discussed inside the EU", instead of waiting for the (Global) "Crisis to start raising them at the (EU Negotiation) Table" now, as she said.
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    + But, in addition to adequate Institutions, and to efficient Policies, Europe obviously needs also a prospective "Vision", able to attract "Popular support", as "one, perhaps the most Important, of the (3) Conditions needed in order to guarantee that those Centrifuge forces, which are currently virulent, do not to Destroy ...the European Construction", and "without which,  it's "Good bye Europe !", she warned, (in a rare, objective, agreement with Sarkozy).

    - Because "Citizens need, well beyond the necessary Measures due to settle concrete problems, also an overall Meaning, a Dream, a Momentum, a Cohesion and Clarity, the absence of which could explain in great part the recent unpopularity of Europe", she explained, (See Infra).
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    - Initially, at the beginning of the European Construction, "Countries which were competing against each other for Centuries, often leading even to War, decided to be reconciled among them and have common objectives", Lalumiere reminded.

    + But "Now, I think that EU must build a New Compromise and a Balanced relation between Public Finances (Budget's Stability : f.ex. the "Golden Rule" and Deficits' Reduction, etc) and Growth (f.ex. Stimulation of economic relaunch, etc), Lalumière topically concluded.

    - In fact, "EU has become the 1st Economic Power in the World, with more than + 23% of World's GDP, and one of the Best GDP/Population ratios in the World, but its Weakeness is that  it has not enough Growth" : I.e. it's as if "we were standing on a pile of Gold, but without enough Vitality (Vigour)" yet, she noted.

    => Among others, the recent Global "Crisis may act as a Stimulant vis a vis the current need  for New Institutional Reforms", which "might occur even during the next 5 Years", as Lalumiere initially agreed with an "EuroFora"s question, (before, however, apparently backing up somehow, when we referred to the apparent Opposal of Hollande's former Electoral Campaign Chief manager, Moscovici, currently new Minister for Economy, (a former EU affairs Minister and MEP at EU Parliament), who had recently declared, in Strasbourg, that "No Institutional Reforms" for a stronger Political Europe should intervene during the next 5 years, which must focus on Economy, Energy and Climate, as he had stressed, (1 Day after Hollande's replies to "EuroFora"s Questions on Turkey and €uroArea Treaty : See relevant March 2012 NewsReport).

    - EU Countries tried, at first, to react to the Global Crisis by "using an Inter-Governemental Method, i.e. through EU Council, and, even if imperfect, that's not negligeable at all", considering what it managed to achieve initially, the experienced former Socialist EU affairs Minister acknowledged at least, as far as Sarkozy - Merkel led EU Heads of State/Governments' activities, particularly on Stimulating EU Economy against the Global Crisis, at a first stage (2008-2010), and in order to control and reduce Debt, efficiently starting to turn the page on the subsequent Financial Crisis, at a second stage (2011-2012), is concerned.

    + Moreoveer, "recently, EU set up the Building-blocs what can become, in the Future, an Economic Governace", also recognized Lalumière, apparently referring to the European Solidarity and Stability Financial Mechanism as well as to the New €uroArea Treaty, etc, decided by EU Council after initial proposals by Sarkozy-Merkel during 2010 - 2012, (See relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReports from several Franco-German and EU Summits during all that Historic period).

    => But, nevertheless, the Global Crisis revealed that EU Institutions were still "Imperfect and Insufficient", particularly as regards  the "Economic Governance"'s "Solidarity" and "Vigour", something which raised "Concerns for the Future", she observed.     

    >>> That's why, various more recent, critical proposal, from former Chancelor Helmut Schmidt, pointing on more "Solidarity", to former CEB's President Jean-Claude Truchet, suggesting an "exceptional Federalism", "not in small doses", or f.ex. an Economist proposing "a Budgetary Union", and "the German Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schauble, launching the idea of an EU Finance Minister", etc., as well as plenty of various such Ideas currently "heading towards a Federalist inspiration" Lalumiere observed, obviously pointing at the direction of a Stronger €uroArea Governance, harmoniously and logically coupled together with much more European "Integration", as it was officially highlighted by the landmark December 2010 Franco-German Summit Sarkozy-Merkel at nearby Freiburg, (See "EuroFora"s NewsReports from Freiburg then, as well as German EU affairs Minister Hoyer's timely reply to our question, just 1 Day earlier in Offenburg, at the conclusion of an exceptionaly important Franco-Germano-Swiss Trilateral Ministerial Conference which created a New Legal Entity at the Superior Rhine -Oberrhein- border-line Regions around EU/CoE central city Strasbourg : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/hoyeronfrancogermansummit.html + http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/sarkozymerkelforeuintegration.html ).

    =>  - "Indeed, Europeanizing the Economic Policies, seems to be the Right Way forward", resumed Lalumiere. This includes "also Fiscal and Social policies, because, otherwise, if each (EU Member) State was left alone to do whatever it liked in its territory, then, this would provoke Distortions of Competition, threatening to empty the (EU's) Common Market from any Cohesion, triggering a Cascading series of Negative effects", she warned.

    An idea which strongly reminds also the conclusion of the experienced, well-known ChristianDemocrat Italian politician, until recently  Minister of Economy, Tremonti, who had resumed his Speech at an International Conference on "New World - New Governance" on January 2011 in Paris, in reply to an "EuroFora"'s question, by stressing that "National States have been overpassed by the Global Crisis, so that, now Europe needs to advance towards a Federal structure", as he bluntly said.     

    + On the Monetary field, €uroArea also needs a Political Guidance, which wasn't initially agreed, abandoning certain Member States in errors and difficult situations, Lalumiere welcoming the recently efficient action taken by CEB's new President Draghi, (after the December 9, 2011 EU Brussels' Summit and on January 2012 : See Sarkozy's initial anouncement in Brussels, and relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReports). "But CEB can't advance further forward, because the existing (Legal) Texts wouldn't allow that", she observed, pointing anew at necessary Reforms, (strongly highlighted by Sarkozy's landmark speech at Concorde square in Paris, April 2012 : See "EuroFora"s NewsReport from the spot : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/sarkozyconcordecalloneurobank.html ).

    ++ "Ultra-Liberal ideologies, which had become dominant mainly during the 1990ies, pushed to excessive De-Regulations, which bear a great part of responsibility for the errors which led to the recent Global Crisis", f.ex. in the Financial and Banking sectors, etc., and particularly to the Foreign Trade where EU didn't get anything in exchange" of a fierce competition in a Globalized economy, also criticized Lalumiere, pointing at an issue which has notoriously figured High in Sarkozy's 2012 electoral campaign. Meanwhile, EU "Commissioner Barnier is recently trying to prepare several Regulations at least in the Internal Market, f.ex. for controls on Banks, Financial Services, Rating Agencies, etc., but he's facing strong Resistance", she denounced.
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    >>>  EU "Heads of State/Government would be wise if they marked, soon, some Decisive Advances towards that Direction"  of deeper EU Integration, concluded in this regard, Today, the experienced former CoE Secretary General, EU affairs Minister and MP, current Chairwoman of the "European Houses"' Network, speaking at EU Parliament in Strasbourg just a few Hours before a crucial EU Summit starts in Brussels..

    - "But, in addition to building New Institutions and creating New EU Tools, it's also important to carefully choose the Right political Personalities, really able to animate and use them efficiently, in a way which motivates the European People, Lalumiere pointed out,  (by a coincidence speaking just after charismatic Sarkozy became, eventually, available at EU/Global level)...

    However, the former Socialist Minister, when she reminded also the famous "No" to the EuroReferenda on EU Constitution, back on 2005-2007 in France, Holland and Ireland, (mainly in order to regret the "Destabilisation" Risk that such an Institutional Blockade contained), even if she criticized the Text's overloading with some controversial "Liberal" Economic policy issues, nevertheless, she curiously omitted everything about the notorious Refusal by a Majority of EU Citizens to swallow also  the parallely evolving Turkish controversial and unpopular EU bid, (since, as she was obliged to reply, later-on, to a Question by a Critic, the former CoE's SG. remained, despîte everything, personally in favour of Ankara's EU aims, claiming that Turkey might protect the EU vis a vis ....Iran, etc., with which, on the contrary, the Turkish Government has recently isolated itself inside the UNO by being staying alone to support Teheran against all other UNO SC. Members in a 12 against 2 vote)...
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    + But,  "EU Citizens need also a Project, a Soul, a Conscience", the experienced former CoE's Secretary General went on to add. (Comp. also Supra).

    - Already, "EU's Founding Fathers, even if they started from the Economy, in fact, they had an ambitious Political project, which was to Fight against Barbary", she stressed. "Because they couldn't accept the way that the initially Intellectual and refined Europe, had suddenly been thrown into NAZI a.o. Barbarism of Death concentration Camps". As former, long-time French President Mitterand had concluded at his last Speech in EU Parliament, extreme "Nationalism means War", the former Socialist Minister for EU affairs reminded. "That's why, from the start, the initial EU project went beyond Economy, and was also a project of Society, based on the Cultural Heritage of all Europe, a project of Civilisation, that we needs to be Mordernized and ReVitalized" : In addition to "Economic dynamism, it's also about a Social Model, f.ex. our Social Protection, and it has even a Humanist dimension, with Human Rights and Democratic Freedoms, being our (EU's) Best Advantage, which needs to be adequately Updated", Lalumiere summed up.

    Concluding by pointing at "the Future of Europe in the World as it evolves around us", the former CoE's Secretary General cited Philosopher Marcel Gauchet, in an abstract which "focuses not on Economy but on Culture, one of Europe's main forces, if we use it right", as she said :

    - "European Elites have de facto renounced  to seek and affirm a specific Identity" for Europe, the French Philisopher denounced. "They consider, implicitly, that Europe has, no more, Nothing special to offer. They are dominated by the idea that USA is the Laboratory of Modernity, and that there is nothing else to do than be inspired by it.  It's no more about alining itself to the American "Hard Power", as during the Cold War. What counts, from now on, it's the "Soft Power". It's no more the (US) State Department which counts. It's the (American) Universities : Stanford, Harvard, Chicago, MIT, are more Important by the Ideas that they spread around, than the (US) Pentagon's huge Budgets.  It's no more about (Military) Strategy, but about Economy. No more about Power, but about Technical, Managerial and Financial Modernity. That's the hard core Agenda of this large but very powerful Program, whose variable content can go from Multi-Culturalism (recently rejected both by German Chancellor Angie Merkel, as well as new British Prime Minister David Cameron, as well as former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, etc), up to Neo-Liberal Economy,

    "This .... has made Europe abdicate from any Political, Cultural, Intellectual or Philosophical Ambition", he criticized. "At best, it (EU) only defends its Social Model. It's this Renonciation inside EU Integration, as it's going since the 1990ies, which is the deepest Source of Peoples' Frustration in this regard  : What's the use to build Europe, if it's only in order to dissolve it inside the Globalization ?", Lalumiere concluded, applauded on this point that Sarkozy wouldn't certainly deny, hoping that also new French President Hollande might really endorse in fact, (eventually according to the forthcoming, October 2012 US Presidential Election)...